


winter blessings

by OnyxSphynx



Series: newmann one-shots [32]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Ehehe, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 01:25:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18272957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnyxSphynx/pseuds/OnyxSphynx
Summary: It's very cold outside, as Hermann discovers when Tendo locks him out of the flat. Thankfully, the neighbour is of the amicable sort





	winter blessings

**Author's Note:**

> anon asked: "prompt: I don’t know who the hell you are, but my roommate has someone over and It’s really cold outside…. Can I come in? Or like, have a blanket, or even a towel?"

Newt’s reading—or at least,  _attempting to_ —when there’s a rap on the door. At first, he assumes it’s just the squirrels lobbing acorns at the apartment again, but then it comes again, this time more insistent. Newt bolts out of his chair, yanking the door open to find a lanky man shivering outside his door.

“You’re not the pizza-delivery,” he accuses.

The man raises a brow. “Er, no. I’m your neighbour? Tendo Choi’s roommate, and, well,” he pauses, looking vaguely embarrassed, and fiddles with his cane. “Mr. Choi has…company,” he says delicately. “And, well, it’s rather cold out here, but I haven’t got anywhere else to got—”

“Oh, man, yeah, come in, come in,” Newt insists, opening the door wider. With a grateful look, the man ducks inside, toeing his shoes off. Newt nods approvingly. “So,” he says, “you’re Tendo’s new roommate, huh?”

“Yes—Hermann Gottlieb,” he introduces, shifting to hold out a hand. Newt grins and shakes it.

“Newt,” he replies. The name tugs at something at the back of his mind, and he asks, “Wait—Gottlieb, as in Doctor Gottlieb?”

Hermann looks surprised at the recognition. “Yes,” he replies cautiously, “that’s me.”

Newt lets out a squeak. “Oh my god, oh my  _god_ why didn’t Tendo tell me his new roommate is  _the_ Doctor Hermann Gottlieb? I’m a  _huge_ fan of your work, dude, absolutely  _revolutionary_. Am I dreaming?” He pinches himself and then yelps before grinning even wider. “I’m not dreaming!”

For the entirety of the exchange, Hermann eyes him dubiously. “Really,” he says, tone level. “And you are…?”

“Newt—Newton Geiszler.” Newt replies. “I, uh, read some of your stuff for my masters in engineering—you’re a legend, dude!”

Hermann ducks his head. “You’re one to speak, Doctor Geiszler—child prodigy, four doctorates already.” There’s something like admiration in his voice, and it makes Newt flush. “I—I greatly admire your work,” Hermann adds.

“Thanks dude.” His voice cracks in the middle, and he hopes Hermann doesn’t notice. “Hey—” he’s cut off by another knock on the door. “Oh! That must be the pizza,” he explains, “hang on a second! I’ll be right there!”

He gets back to Hermann standing awkwardly in the living room, as if unsure of what to do. “Sit!” he says, “d’you want a piece? I’ve got a plain cheese and a vegetarian.”

“Yes, please, thank you,” Hermann acquiesces, taking a seat on the sofa. “Er—can I perhaps have a plate? Or at least a napkin?”

“Oh! Right!” Newt grins sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m just used to eating straight out of the box.”

Hermann wrinkles his nose and mutters something under breath that might be  _heathen_. Newt stifles a laugh into his palm and goes into the kitchen for a plate. “You want a fork and knife?” he calls, and Hermann gives an affirmative.

Newt reemerges from the kitchen, a plate and silverware in hand, and hands them to Hermann, popping open the pizza boxes. Hermann delicately retrieves a slice of the vegetarian with his fork, cutting it into small, bite-sized pieces.

Newt picks up a piece with his hands and chows down, watching raptly as Hermann efficiently polishes off his own piece. There’s something about the other that’s oddly endearing in a way that Newt can’t quite place. He grins at the other and mumbles, “So, friends?”

“Chew and swallow before you talk!” Hermann snaps, but he’s holding back an answering smile, and a smug happiness is settling in Newt’s chest. 

“Yeah,” he decides, “best friends.”

Hermann scoffs, but he’s grinning now, and it lights up his whole face, his eyes crinkling at the edges. It makes him look carefree.

It’s a good look on him, Newt decides. He wants to make Hermann look like that again.


End file.
